


braced for the fallout

by oldpapertowns



Series: chemical christmas 2020 [8]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ficlet, Gen, chemical christmas, fuck zhao all my homies hate zhao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:35:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27963152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldpapertowns/pseuds/oldpapertowns
Summary: “You know Zhao?” Toph asks.“Family friend,” mutters Zuko, glaring at the table. “Only my father liked him. I didn’t even know he was a teacher. Thought he would’ve chosen a career that’s more, I dunno, violent.”“He’s violent enough,” scoffs Toph. “Someone should tell him that hitting and breaking things in fits of rage is no longer in fashion.”OR: zhao is an asshole.
Relationships: Toph Beifong & The Gaang
Series: chemical christmas 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036416
Comments: 7
Kudos: 134





	braced for the fallout

**Author's Note:**

> day 8 of chemical christmas - comfort! prompt list by @saintmichale_ on instagram
> 
> title from ‘hereafter’ by architects

“What the  _ fuck,” _ yells Toph one day at a study session, breaking the quiet that had fallen over the group. She rips out an earbud and throws it to the floor. “I hate this fucking class!”

Katara looks up with a concerned look. “What are you working on?”

Toph gestures angrily at her computer. “Some bullshit filler assignment that’s full of photos with no image IDs or anything.”

“What the hell,” interjects Sokka with a scowl. “Who’s your professor?”

“Zhao,” grumbles Toph.

“I hate that motherfucker.” Zuko curls his lip. “He’s a complete and utter  _ asshole.” _

“You know him?” Toph asks.

“Family friend,” mutters Zuko, glaring at the table. “Only my father liked him. I didn’t even know he was a teacher. Thought he would’ve chosen a career that’s more, I dunno, violent.”

“He’s violent enough,” scoffs Toph. “Someone should tell him that hitting and breaking things in fits of rage is no longer in fashion.”

Aang has his face scrunched up in disgust. “What the fuck?”

“Shouldn’t he be… fired, or something?” Suki asks, frowning.

“Probably.” Toph glares at the floor, her turned-down lips quivering the barest bit. “I can’t even get someone to describe the images to me. I did that once and he gave me zero points. I  _ hate _ him.” She punches the floor three times in rapid succession, not even flinching as her knuckles crack violently on the first punch.

“Toph!” gasps Katara. “Don’t do that!”

As everyone stares in horror, Zuko scrambles over the floor to wrap Toph in a hug, feeling her shake as he grabs her hand. “That won’t help,” he says in a low voice, feeling her struggle. He holds on tight. “I know it feels like it will, but it really, really won’t.”

“I know,” is Toph’s reply as she deflates. “I just- hate him. A lot.”

“We all do,” says Katara as she joins Zuko in hugging Toph. “And I’m going to go ask around about Zhao after this.”

“Thanks,” Toph mumbles as Suki, Sokka, and Aang come to wrap their arms around Toph as well.

Zuko punches her lightly in the arm. “No problem.”

“You know we wouldn’t let an asshole like Zhao ruin your life for too long,” Suki adds, tapping Toph on the head.

Toph smiles weakly and they soon go back to studying, but the gang doesn’t stray far from her side for the next two hours. And if they insult Zhao more than usual, well, who’s to tell him?

(Zhao gets fired a week later. Katara just smiles sweetly when she’s asked about it.) (Zuko upgrades her from ‘scary’ to ‘VERY scary.’)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! as always, feel free to drop kudos/your thoughts in the comments. they’re always very nice to read. stay safe, stay sane <3


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